Those who could not get the first instalment, will get two instalments together.
New Delhi: More than 4.74 crore small and marginal farmers, who were registered under the PM-Kisan scheme before the model code of conduct (MCC) for the General Elections came into effect, will get the second instalment of Rs 2,000 each in their bank accounts this month.
Sources said that out of 4.74 crore, there are as many as 2.74 crore farmers who have so far received the first instalment. This is to be noted that the Election Commission (EC) has allowed the Union Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare to transfer the first and second tranche of the payments to all those beneficiaries under the scheme before 10 March. There are about one crore farmers whose names were registered before the MCC, but could not get the first instalment. They will get two instalments together.
The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana was formally launched nationally by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 24 February at Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh by transferring the first instalment to 1.01 crore farmers, amounting Rs 2,021 crore. As per the Rs 75,000-crore scheme, Rs 6,000 per year would be disbursed in three instalments to around 12 crore farmers who hold cultivable land up to 2 hectares.
Regarding payment of second tranche which began from 1 April, sources said the EC has allowed the government to make the payment to all those beneficiaries registered before the mode code started. The government was hoping to have the data of 12 crore farmers from all over the country, but the data of 4.74 crore farmers has come before the MCC came into force.
In Uttar Pradesh, the first instalment has been released to around one crore farmers so far and the Centre has received data of an additional 66 lakh farmers. Sources further said that Punjab and Haryana are among the top beneficiary states as more than 80% of the farmers registered under the scheme have received the first instalment.
Interestingly, some states, including West Bengal, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Sikkim, have yet not submitted the complete farmers’ data and, therefore, there is delay in transferring the amount to farmers in these states.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has promised in its manifesto that the benefits of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana would be extended to all farmers of the country if the party returns to power after ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi currently provides Rs 6,000 per year to small and marginal farmers. The ruling party has also made several other announcements for farmers and the agriculture sector, like a pension scheme for all small and marginal farmers in the country so as to ensure social security to them on reaching 60 years of age.